The Aztec built their capital city, Tenochtitlan, on Lake Texcoco. Built on two islands, the area was extended using chinampas—small, artificial islands created above the waterline that were later consolidated. ... The center of the city was known as the Templo Mayor.
What was unique about Tenochtitlan?
The small natural island was perpetually enlarged as an artificial island as Tenochtitlan grew to become the largest and most powerful city in Mesoamerica . Commercial routes were developed that brought goods from places as far as the Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific Ocean and perhaps even the Inca Empire.
Why was Tenochtitlan important?
In less than 200 years, it evolved from a small settlement on an island in the western swamps of Lake Texcoco into the powerful political, economic, and religious center of the greatest empire of Precolumbian Mexico. Tenochtitlan was a city of great wealth , obtained through the spoils of tribute from conquered regions.
What is Tenochtitlan and why is it important to the Aztecs?
Tenochtitlán was an Aztec city that flourished between A.D. 1325 and 1521. Built on an island on Lake Texcoco, it had a system of canals and causeways that supplied the hundreds of thousands of people who lived there.
What was the most important building in Tenochtitlan?
The most important public buildings in the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan were the temples and prostis . Another important public building was the ceremonial centre which was located inside a walled square.
What is Tenochtitlan known as today?
Tenochtitlan (Nahuatl languages: Tenōchtitlan pronounced [tenoːt͡ʃˈtit͡ɬan]; Spanish: Tenochtitlan), also known as Mexico-Tenochtitlan (Nahuatl languages: Mēxihco Tenōchtitlan pronounced [meːˈʃiʔko tenoːt͡ʃˈtit͡ɬan]; Spanish: México-Tenochtitlan), was a large Mexica altepetl in what is now the historic center of Mexico ...
Why is Teotihuacan important?
Artifacts found in the city and sites across Mexico suggest Teotihuacan was a wealthy trade metropolis in its prime . In particular, the city exported fine obsidian tools, including spear and dart heads. Teotihuacan had a monopoly on obsidian trade—the most important deposit in Mesoamerica was located near the city.
What are three facts about Tenochtitlan?
- There were two aqueducts over 2.5 miles long leading into the city that provided fresh water to the people living there.
- Large crowds of as many as 8,000 people would sometimes gather in the central area.
- The city was divided into four zones and twenty districts.
What is Tenochtitlan called today and why?
Tenochtitlán. Tenochtitlán, ancient capital of the Aztec empire. Located at the site of modern Mexico City , it was founded c. ... It formed a confederacy with Texcoco and Tlacopán and was the Aztec capital by the late 15th century.
How was Tenochtitlan destroyed?
Cortés’s army besieged Tenochtitlán for 93 days, and a combination of superior weaponry and a devastating smallpox outbreak enabled the Spanish to conquer the city. Cortés’s victory destroyed the Aztec empire, and the Spanish began to consolidate control over what became the colony of New Spain.
How many deities did the Aztecs worship?
The Aztecs believed in a complex and diverse pantheon of gods and goddesses. In fact, scholars have identified more than 200 deities within Aztec religion.
How is Mexico sinking?
Mexico City Is Sinking at an Alarming And Largely Unstoppable Rate, New Data Finds. ... After centuries of water drainage from underground aquifers , the lake bed on which this city sits has grown increasingly dry, causing the clay sheets to compress and crack at a largely unstoppable rate.
What did the Aztecs call themselves?
The Aztecs called their city Tenochtitlán after a name the Aztecs used for themselves, Tenochca . The other name they used for themselves was Mexica. They did not call themselves Aztecs.
What made the Aztecs rich?
The Aztecs gained the majority of their wealth through trade and taxation . Each land conquered by the Aztecs were charged taxes in the form of goods...
Are Aztec warriors Mexican?
From the etymological perspective, the term Aztec is derived from Aztlan (or ‘Place of Whiteness’ in connotative meaning), the mythological place of origin for the Nahuatl-speaking culture.
Why did the Aztecs build pyramids?
Aztec Pyramids
The Aztecs, who lived in the Mexican valley between the 12th and 16th centuries, also built pyramids in order to house and honor their deities . ... At its top, two shrines honored Huitzilopochtli, the Aztec god of sun and war, and Tlaloc, god of rain and fertility.
